Under a Ron Paul presidency the federal government would not only go on a diet; it would also undergo a makeover, the GOP hopeful told voters this afternoon in Perry, Iowa.

“Spending is related to policy, so you have to change policy,” said the 76-year-old Texas congressman. “You just can’t just cut spending ….My goal is to change the appetite for big government.”

Paul’s plan to cut $1 trillion includes the elimination of five federal departments. It also calls for an end to foreign aid and foreign wars, and proposes returning all other government spending to 2006 levels.

The role of the government should be limited to protecting citizens’ liberties, upholding the rule of law, protecting the nation and guaranteeing sound money, Paul said.

The statement got polite applause from the more than 100 Iowans in attendance. During a question and answer period allotted at the end of Paul’s talk, all three attendees selected to speak said that though they agreed with the congressman on many points, they had concerns about some of his policies.

Cathy Stone, 60, of Perry, told Paul that while she favors many of his foreign policy views, she wondered if his reading of world affairs was too “simplified” in some cases.

The retired teacher took issue, in particular, with a statement Paul has made on numerous occasions that U.S. actions helped spur the terrorist attacks of September 2001.

“9/11, I don’t think that we caused that at all,” Stone said.

The retired teacher later added: “I don’t think we should have gone overseas, but what would you do with all these problems?”

Paul responded by saying he supported the move to pursue the Sept. 11 terrorists.

He also clarified his stance on 9/11, saying the U.S. policies — not its people — were to blame for the attacks.

“They didn’t come here because you’re free and prosperous —they don’t go to Sweden and Switzerland,” Paul said. “…The 9/11 Commission said that the motivation was the fact that we were over there and we had been over there for a long time.”

Ron Paul will be in Atlantic at 3 p.m. and in Council Bluffs at 7 p.m.